Environment and natural resources; requiring Department of Environmental Quality to purchase certain equipment; biosolids testing; prohibition on biosolids; rules; implementation by certain date; effective date.
HB3411 creates a new Oklahoma law directing the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to obtain equipment and establish testing for PFAS in biosolids before those materials are land-applied. Biosolids are defined as treated wastewater residuals from municipal wastewater treatment plants that are suitable for recycling as soil amendments, while septage and residential septic tank waste are excluded. The bill is aimed at reducing potential exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), including PFOA and PFOS, through biosolids used on farmland.
The bill requires that, before biosolids are applied to land, a sample must be tested by DEQ or an accredited laboratory to determine PFAS levels. It also requires the entity providing biosolids to give farmers and ranchers test results showing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, pH, PFAS, and heavy metal concentrations, along with any known risks identified by DEQ. In addition, the bill prohibits applying biosolids to land where crops are grown for human consumption and bars repeated application to the same location more than once every other year. DEQ must also propose rules, including an approval process for alternative treatment methods such as microbial and supercritical water oxidation to reduce or remove PFAS, and must implement the requirements by January 1, 2028, with the act becoming effective November 1, 2026.
HB3411 would add a new environmental and agricultural regulatory framework in Title 27A governing PFAS testing and disclosure for biosolids land application. It expands DEQ responsibilities by requiring equipment purchases, sample testing, rulemaking, risk disclosure support, and implementation of alternative treatment approvals. The bill would directly affect wastewater treatment operators, biosolids providers, farmers, ranchers, and laboratories involved in biosolids management, while also restricting where and how often biosolids may be applied to land.
The bill appears to have generally favorable support in the Legislature, moving through the House with a strong 86-0 third-reading vote after a 9-1 committee vote, and then advancing in the Senate Energy Committee on an 8-2 vote. The vote pattern suggests broad agreement with the bill’s public-health and environmental protection goals, though not unanimous support. No committee transcripts were provided, so the available record reflects support through votes rather than detailed debate.
The main points of contention likely center on the cost and feasibility of PFAS testing, the need for DEQ to purchase equipment and adopt new rules, and the practical effect of prohibiting biosolids on cropland used for human food production. Agricultural stakeholders may be concerned about limits on biosolids as a fertilizer/soil amendment and the burden of disclosure and testing requirements, while environmental and public-health advocates are likely focused on PFAS contamination risks and stronger safeguards. The Senate Energy Committee’s 8-2 amended approval indicates some disagreement remained, likely over implementation details or scope.